Gohan

This place is truly a hidden gem - and since it only opened in November, I suspect that in a few months it'll blow up in popularity. Though the ambiance and presentation feel incredibly upscale, the prices are incredibly competitive with Iyasume Musubi Cafe. I would say the key difference between the two would be that Gohan is a more elevated experience, while Iyasume caters more to the grab and go crowd with their pre wrapped musubi. In terms of strictly taste, we definitely recommend Gohan over Iyasume just due to the fact that when dining in, their musubi and hand rolls are all made to order, so the nori is crispy! (Gohan offers some grab and go musubi as well, as shown in the photos, but we didn't get a chance to try them). In addition, the house blend of salt they use is pretty special, with notes of what we think is yuzu. In all honesty, this is just as good as some of the breakfasts we had in Japan. Here's what we ordered! - Spicy Tuna Handroll: Definitely a must order while it's on the menu. Delicious, fresh ahi paired with warm rice makes this an easy winner. The spicy mayo also isn't too spicy where it'll turn away people who typically shy away from spicy foods. - Special Pork Miso Soup: No Japanese breakfast is complete without soup, and we were blown away by this. One of my common complaints with "premium" miso soup is that it often just tastes just like regular miso soup but with some additional protein in it - but not this! The ingredients they put inside completely change the classic miso soup in the best way possible - honestly the best miso soup I've had to date, a must order. (Pro tip: if you use the yuzu flakes, it'll change the flavor miso soup again for two different ways to enjoy it!) - Unagi Handroll: Soft, buttery unagi. We enjoyed this a lot as well! The unagi is tender and just melts in your mouth. - Mentaiko Cheese Grilled Musubi: Incredibly fragrant and slightly charred on the exterior for a slightly crispy exterior. When you get towards the center, the cream cheese further enhances the fragrance of the aroma and the mentaiko provides a nice salty, savory bite. - Shoyu Cheese Grilled Musubi: More or less the same as the Mentaiko, minus the mentaiko. Not that it wasn't good, but was a bit too similar to the mentaiko cheese, so we probably could have went without this one in lieu of a different flavored musubi. - Tuna Mayo Musubi: We got this at one of the server's recommendation! I'm not big on tuna mayo so I was slightly apprehensive about this, but really enjoyed it when I tried it. The salt they use pairs really well with the tuna mayo and the mayo isn't overwhelming either (my partner, who normally hates mayo, liked it). The flavoring of their salt really shines in their regular musubi. - Black Sesame Ice Cream: I'm not big on black sesame, but I loved this as well! Dusted with kinako powder and brown sugar syrup, the taste profile was quite reminiscent of warabimochi I've had in Japan. Again, I highly recommend ordering this while it's on the limited menu. Overall, we loved the experience. The open concept kitchen was also incredibly cute and it was so nice watching the staff prepare the rice, eggs, and musubi. Definitely sit at the bar if you have a chance! As a note: they also validate parking for 30 minutes, so feel free to park in the garage (it's 2 dollars every half an hour - we stayed for 37 minutes and the validation rounded it down to 0). The storefront is also easily missed while driving (we didn't see any signs for it outside), so just go into the parking garage and when you enter the building, you'll find Gohan in the ground floor of the lobby.

They were good.I'm sure they'd be better if I ate them there and it wasn't take away but overall still good.Would I drive there just for this? No. But overall another good option for a niche food item.

I tried Gohan's take-out and it was really good! Today I had the chance to dine-in and try everything fresh. ***What I ordered ~ **Tonjiru Soup (10/10) ~ I really really loved the soup. It was REALLY good. It wasn't overly salted or sweet. It was perfect and it pairs really well with the food. **Spicy Tuna (9/10) ~ It's a little spicy, but honestly not bad! It's not your traditional Spicy Tuna, it's minced! **Yuzu Ikura (7/10) ~ I thought I would get an explosion of Yuzu, but it was really mild. Also this was an onigiri instead of a hand roll. Overall,Service was okay, but food tasted really good! I'll definitely come back.

Gohan is located at 1314 Building on King Street. Validate parking will be provided. It's a small restaurant which has around 5 tables as well as some bar seatings. You can see all the chefs making the hand-rolls from the open kitchen. Service was pretty good. Food: 1. Special Pork Miso Soup: They put a lot of ingredients. It's very tasty, not too salty.2. Spicy Ahi: It's soooo fresh and the put a lot of spicy ahi on the roll. One of my favorites. 3. Grilled Unagi: My 2nd favorite. The unagi was flavorful and moist. 4. Spam & Egg: Simple ingredients but very tasty. 5. Pork Kakuni: The pork belly was very tender and juicy. 6. Vietnamese Coffee & Cold Brew: Very strong coffee flavor but not too over sweetened. You will get full easily because it's all RICE.

Gohan means "cooked rice" in Japanese, which is an aptly name for this new restaurant called Gohan Restaurant that opened on 11/1/24 in Honolulu. It is a quality fresh musubi and handroll restaurant, with all items made to order. You can dine-in, take-out, or even sit at the "musubi bar," which people have said that it's Honolulu's 1st craft musubi bar.Gohan Restaurant offers the following:* Nori Musubi: shio, salmon, tuna mayo, konbu, bonito flakes, squid, saba, ume hijiki, yuzu ikura.* Grilled musubi: original shoyu; mentai, bonito, and shoyu cheese.* Handroll: shrimp tempura, teri spam egg, chicken or spicy karaage, pork kakuni, unagi.* Changing Weekly Specials that may include: spicy tuna, Hamachi jalapeno, miso tofu, tonkatsu handrolls; salmon ikura musubi.* Soup: pork tonjiru, miso.* Drinks: coffee (cold brew, Vietnamese, matcha latte); green tea; coke.Gohan Restaurant uses Tsuyahime rice from Yamagata, Japan, which is polished in Honolulu. High quality Ariake nori obtained from the salt waters of the Ariake Sea in southwest Japan. The musubi is served in a woven wooden basket, and the handroll is served in a wooden stand.Note that as the restaurant does not have a kitchen, the fried and braised items are made at its sister restaurants, Golden Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Bar and Sushi Que restaurants located across the street, as all three restaurants are under the same owner of IKKA Dining International of Japan. Certain foods are reheated in air fryers, and rice is cooked in rice cookers lining the backside of the counter wall.We had the following:* Grilled Unagi Handroll. This was heavenly, with a generous amount of high quality unagi that made this so flavorful and delish! I keep dreaming about this and can't wait to order this again!* Fresh Spicy Tuna Handroll. This was hubby's choice. Generously amount of diced tuna with the right amount of spiciness!* Tuna Mayo Musubi. I would pass on this, as it was mild in taste and similar to what you can get elsewhere.* Pork Tonjiru Soup. Served piping hot, this delicious pork miso soup was loaded with daikon, carrots, gobo, mushrooms, and pork belly seasoned with miso and sesame oil. This is worth ordering!We loved the freshly cooked rice and the extra crispy nori for the handrolls and musubis.As we came when the lunch hour was to begin, we had a difficult time getting the attention of any of the servers. The servers were zig zagging here and there to different tables instead of assigned tables and even going in the back to make some musubis or handrolls. After continuously flagging down any of the servers walking by, we then got out water glasses filled, our order taken, food served, and bill payment. In the meantime, the lobby started getting busy with people waiting to dine in. I suggest going during non-peak hours if possible.The small clean and bright restaurant had extensive renovations to replicate having a Japanese ambiance with a wood décor. There are a few wooden tables for dining in and a about 7 seats at the counter if you want to watch the chef make your handroll or musubi. After walking through the noren entrance, there is a shelf of pre-made musubis and handrolls for takeout (they give you a separate sheet of nori wrapped in cellphane). Decorative plates are nicely displayed behind the counter seating.Hours of operation are Mon to Sat from 8a to 2p for breakfast, lunch or brunch; and Sun closed. Gohan Restaurant is located in the Interstate Building on South King Street, in the lobby next to Easy Music Center. Validated discounted parking in the building or street metered parking are available.We look forward in returning and sitting at the counter to watch our musubis and handrolls being made. Yes, we also look forward to having the grilled unagi handroll again and can't wait to try the pork kakuni handroll and the grilled musubis! Musubis and handrolls - simplicity as its best!

Came here around 12pm on a Thursday and did have to wait like 15-20 minutes. They do have a partial validation in the lot, but we just paid for street parking. We ordered a selection:Fresh Spicy Tuna Roll ($6.95)Hamachi Jalapeño ($6.50)Avocado shrimp Tempura Handroll ($5.95)Yuzu Ikura ($5.50) Original Shoyu ($3.50)- a lil salty but grilled is so goodUme Hijiki ($3.75)Grilled Unagai ($6.50) Tsukemono ($2.50)Pork Miso Soup ($4.95)- so flavorful! The highlights were the original shoyu and pork miso soup! I will say all the musubis/rolls had a good amount of filling, but also came with a ton of a rice. I was hoping there would be more raw fish options that weren't spicy. Overall, glad we tried it!

I have been here several times since they opened and I love it every time! I've been lucky enough to walk right in to a spot at the counter each time, but I've heard it can get busy during peak lunch times, so just plan accordingly. The menu is limited to mostly musubis and soup, but what they do, they do very well! I always order the special pork miso soup and a few musubis. My favorite musubis are the unagi, hamachi jalapeño handrail, and salmon. If you are a fan of spicy ahi, their spicy ahi handroll is a must.They validate for discounted visitor parking in the building, or you can park on the street (s. King is metered, Young Street is free but hard to find).

After reading Auntie Nadine , Irene .M and Rod U review had to try this trendy place Gohan. My first review of the new Year 2025 . Since Gohan is located in the lobby of my PCP doctor office 1314 King St. had to pop in and try them out . Good selection of various types of Musubi. I just had their Spam and egg Musubi along with tuna mayo. Very good quality Japan rice very fluffy and not bad size Musubi compared to most Musubi places .I was surprised they give you the nori separate so you need to create your ownRice Musubi lol . I thought that was different most places it's already made so you can just grind . Service was very friendly and fast . I would definitely be back in the future. Support local

Fantastic made to order food in reasonable prices. Rice is warm, proteins are appropriately portioned, and nori crisp.Service is quick and seating is limited to about twenty people. Ambiance is clean and simple with natural woods and tasteful dragonball z decor. There is a parking deck in the building and gohan provides validation of thirty minutes. I came on a Friday around 10AM and was able to find seating without a problem.

Went in around 12pm and waited around 10mins. Cozy and casual restaurant. Was able to get a counter seat where we could watch them make everything. It feels like eating at an omakase where you watch the chef make your food and serve it to you. They use Tsuyahime rice and the grains of rice is cooked perfectly. Recommended to eat it once it's placed in front of you to keep the crispiness of the nori & the freshness of the filling. We ordered: -Spicy Ahi Handroll: This was our favorite! The ahi is so fresh and the perfect amount of spice. Was so surprised at how good it was we ordered two more! Would literally just go back to eat this. -Shrimp Tempura Handroll: Good shrimp tempura handroll. Batter was light and sauce was flavorful and seeping into the rice. -Chicken & Spicy Chicken Karaage Handroll: Really enjoyed the tender, battered chicken. Preferred the regular versus the spicy. Same ingredients, just a spicy drizzle on one of them. It does have lettuce in it, which I didn't care for much. -Grilled Unagi Handroll: Unagi was so melt in your mouth tender. The sauce they put on made it extra flavorful. Would say this is my second favorite. -Pork Kakuni Handroll: Char siu was tender but a bit dry. The sauce helped with the dryness. Lettuce was accompanied with the Kakuni. -Mentai Cheese Grilled Musubi: Loved the texture of them grilling it. Does take around 10 mins & doesn't come with nori but you can add that on. I personally am not a fan of mentaiko or cream cheese but my husband enjoyed it. -Vietnamese coffee: Loved this! Was the perfect amount of bitterness with creaminess. I like my Viet coffee a little more bitter, so this was perfect!We were full off of these & they're priced around $3-6, so relatively inexpensive. We were able to find street parking right in front but they do have validated parking for 1/2 hour. Will definitely come back here to dine again!